Annie Leonard

The Western world's consumption of too much "stuff" creates problems on personal and global levels. Activist and researcher Annie Leonard brings the incredible and disturbing "Story of Stuff" to Albion College on Thursday, April 14, at 7 p.m. in the College’s Goodrich Chapel. Leonard visits as Albion’s 2011 Joseph S. Calvaruso Keynote speaker, capping the College’s annual Isaac Student Research Symposium.

Leonard visited manufacturing and disposal sites in 40 countries to produce The Story of Stuff, which has had more than 12 million online views. The documentary led to a fan-requested The Story of Stuff companion book and The Story of Stuff Project, which supports education and awareness initiatives for environmental and social justice issues.

John Ferris, '89

The Symposium opens Wednesday, April 13, with the Isaac Alumni Lecture, "Recharging the Auto Industry: The Story of the Chevrolet Volt," at 7:30 p.m. in the Norris Center's Towsley Lecture Hall. The Isaac Alumni Lecture welcomes back John Ferris, '89, product planning manager and member of the concept team for the Chevrolet Volt, the Detroit Auto Show's 2011 Car of the Year. Ferris is also a planning manager with GM's energy and environmental policy and commercialization division, currently working on electric infrastructure development and home charging installation for the Volt and future electric vehicles.

Albion College’s Elkin R. Isaac Student Research Symposium honors alumnus “Ike” Isaac, ’48, who served for 25 years at Albion as a coach, professor, and athletic director. Isaac later taught and served as athletic director for the University of the Pacific. The Symposium was established in 1991 by hundreds of Isaac’s former students and team members.